UPS Units... PLC Rating?

Frankjr111 · Oct 24, 2008

I have an elevator system that currently has a 750 va 120 v UPS installed on it. We are noticing that about every 8 months the UPS's bateries die. I realize that excerising the batteries are the right thing to do but apart from that what specific UPS criteria should I being looking for and do they come with a feature to automatically switch back to shore power if the batteries or the UPS fails. BTW a dot matrix printer is also plugged into the UPS...I know this is not the best senerio but nevertheless.....thoughts?

surferb · Oct 24, 2008

"shore power" - I've only ever heard that in the Navy. Anyway, I noticed my desktop UPS refused to pass AC after a failure until I manually pressed a button on the front. On the other hand I have some server rack mount UPS devices (approx 3k 220v APC) that have probably been dead for a long time. If I recall correctly, I didn't have to do anything special to boot up the machines when power came back.

I think you're looking for this feature: Automatic restart of loads after UPS shutdown

http://www.apc.com/products/family/index.cfm?id=165&tab=features#anchor1

What are the environmental conditions like where the battery is stored? They should be good much longer than 8 months.

Frankjr111 said:
I have an elevator system that currently has a 750 va 120 v UPS installed on it. We are noticing that about every 8 months the UPS's bateries die. I realize that excerising the batteries are the right thing to do but apart from that what specific UPS criteria should I being looking for and do they come with a feature to automatically switch back to shore power if the batteries or the UPS fails. BTW a dot matrix printer is also plugged into the UPS...I know this is not the best senerio but nevertheless.....thoughts?

leitmotif · Oct 24, 2008

You should be getting years of service.
IF the batteries are a station type battery, wet lead acid.
They should never need to be cycled.
AFTER a charge they can be floated at a float voltage for years. I would check them for water monthly and run a set of gravities monthly or quarterly.
Yearly or so you could put in a gassing charge then run a test discharge and then recharge just to make sure they are operating OK.

Check with the battery manufacturer
not the UPS guys they dont know anything about batteries
- talk to the guys who make em.

One more thing - IF these batteries are in some neat n purty box with all the stuff in it GET THEM OUT OF THERE.
Get them to where you can see them and read the electrolyte levels easy
have easy access with hydrometer
have easy access to clean the cell tops
if you cannot service and maintain them easily you wont.

Dan Bentler

JeffKiper · Oct 25, 2008

leitmotif do yo work for a battery shop? If so keep making them. I work for the seperator makers.

Frankjr111 · Oct 25, 2008

Remember this a 750 va unit that is competely sealed. I'm looking for specifics into a unit that will perform to my earilier stated expectations. thoughts?

leitmotif said:
You should be getting years of service.
IF the batteries are a station type battery, wet lead acid.
They should never need to be cycled.
AFTER a charge they can be floated at a float voltage for years. I would check them for water monthly and run a set of gravities monthly or quarterly.
Yearly or so you could put in a gassing charge then run a test discharge and then recharge just to make sure they are operating OK.

Check with the battery manufacturer
not the UPS guys they dont know anything about batteries
- talk to the guys who make em.

One more thing - IF these batteries are in some neat n purty box with all the stuff in it GET THEM OUT OF THERE.
Get them to where you can see them and read the electrolyte levels easy
have easy access with hydrometer
have easy access to clean the cell tops
if you cannot service and maintain them easily you wont.

Dan Bentler

Frankjr111 · Oct 25, 2008

Remember this unit is completely sealed. I'm looking for a unit that will satisify my earilier stated expectations. Maybe I'm too removed from todays industry as I work at the Kennedy Space Center.....but I assumed his would be an easy fix...and/or question....thoughts?

Frankjr111 · Oct 25, 2008

Also the system does experience DEEP Cycling through-out each month.

leitmotif · Oct 25, 2008

leitmotif do yo work for a battery shop? If so keep making them. I work for the seperator makers.
NOPE just an ex submarine electrician

Frankjr111 said:
Also the system does experience DEEP Cycling through-out each month.

Aha more facts to deal with.
So how deep do you cycle them ie total Ah withdraw, how much do you charge them to what voltage do you charge etc etc.

Dan Bentler

UPS Units... PLC Rating?

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